


Crown of Gold

by plutosglow



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Dark Sides As Family (Sanders Sides), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Gay Disaster Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Humor, I changed everyone's appearance to my own taste, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Platonic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit Sanders, Platonic Relationships, Roman Sanders Needs A Hug, Slow Burn, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Dark Sides (Sanders Sides), Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, lowkey, not really tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2020-10-29 01:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20788070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plutosglow/pseuds/plutosglow
Summary: And I screamed, "For whatever it's worth, I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"He looks up, grinning like a devil.---Deceit has learned from a young age to trust no one other than himself. And maybe his ex, if he's in a good mood. The only negative effect about this is that Deceit has no allies, no friends, no one to watch his back. When Deceit receives threats from a neighboring kingdom, he starts to be backed into a corner. Feeling desperate, Deceit decides to try to find a kingdom to ally himself with. However, allying with Deceit comes with a lot of risks - many kingdoms already know this. In fact, there may only be one kingdom that will accept Deceit's offer.But when Deceit meets a certain eccentric, sweet prince from the only kingdom that will ally themselves with Deceit, his plans start to get a little complicated.





	1. Snake Trap

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm Quinn. I just got into Sanders Sides a little while ago, but I've had the urge to write a fic about it for ages. I've been writing fics for about five years now, but this is my first Sanders Sides fic, so please go easy on me.
> 
> Also, I altered everyone's appearance and names to my own liking! I hope y'all don't mind that.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit feels like he's backed into a corner. He gets desperate, and decides to try to do the impossible.

Deceit stared out the window, eyes squinting against the shine of the sun. He played with the edge of his cape, the only outward sign of all the troubled thoughts swirling through his head. He toyed with it in such a way that the action did not seem nervous; it was smooth, calm, collected. Like everything else about him. _Smooth, calm, collected._ Minerva kept talking, but Deceit wasn't listening. Most likely, she just came to give him more bleak news to worry about. Deceit rolled his shoulders. They felt so stiff. It occurred to Deceit that he'd been sitting here for several hours now. He should probably get up and stretch.

"...not even listening to me, are you?"

Deceit blinked. Minerva was glaring at him. _Oops._ "Terribly sorry," Deceit murmured. The corner of his lips quirked up in a languid apologetic smile. "Would you please repeat that, Min?"

Minerva snapped the book in her hands shut. "Honestly," she said exasperatedly. "I try my hardest, and yet he _always_ ignores me. It's like you _want_ Iosheanium to win, Your Majesty."

The black in Deceit's yellow eye narrowed to a slit. He gritted his teeth. "If I weren't so tired right now, I would've ordered for your execution just for suggesting such a thing," Deceit hissed.

Titus cleared his throat. He looked nervous, most likely knowing that Deceit's threat was serious. "Minerva," Titus said in warning. "The king has a lot on his mind. Perhaps we should come back later?" He looked at Deceit, eyebrow lifting slightly. Deceit sighed heavily.

"Yes. A wonderful idea." The relief in Deceit's voice was almost audible. Almost.

"Fine," Minerva snapped. She dropped her thick book onto the table, a loud thud echoing through the room. "I'm wasting my time here anyway." She curtsied and then turned, her black hair whipping around her shoulder with how aggressive the motion was.

Titus bowed elegantly, before following Minerva out. Deceit let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when the door shut behind Titus, finally relaxing a little. Minerva had a way of pulling out the worst in Deceit. Maybe it was her blatant way of ignoring how Deceit was most definitely above her, status-wise; he was the king around here, after all. Seeing Minerva challenge him so openly made Deceit angry no end. It definitely had to do with the fact that right now, Deceit's patience was stretched thin.

Deceit stood up, and approached the window he had been staring out of. Through it, he could see all of his kingdom, Amarnis. Deceit's eyes moved past it, to the horizon. In the distance, he could see the tallest points of the kingdom that was threatening the peace that Deceit had worked so hard for. _Iosheanium._ Just thinking about the threat left a bitter taste in Deceit's mouth. His lips curled into a sneer of disgust. If only Deceit hadn't been so mistrusting all the time, Iosheanium's threat would mean nothing to Amarnis. But with no allies on Amarnis' side, it left them practically powerless against Iosheanium and Caligris.

Caligris was known for their army. Iosheanium was known for their sheer size. Together, against Amarnis, Deceit didn't stand a chance. Anger boiled the blood in Deceit's veins, and a loud hiss fell from his lips.

"Standing around and hissing at Iosheanium isn't going to erase the threat, Dee."

Deceit rolled his eyes, but a smile slipped onto his face. He cleared his throat, turning around. "I didn't hear you come in. You're getting better at sneaking around."

Virgil smiled back at Deceit. "The student has become the master, it seems."

"Whoa there," Deceit chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far. Did you need something?"

Virgil plopped down on Deceit's throne, kicking his feet up onto the armrest. "I got bored so I thought to myself, 'Why not come and annoy my least favorite person in the kingdom?' So here I am to annoy you, until you shift into a snake and bite me to get me to leave." Virgil snickered.

A sigh came from Deceit. "I only did that once, and you were fine after."

Virgil made an indignant sound. "I was forced to stay in bed for _two weeks_."

"Well, at least it taught you a lesson to never annoy me to that extent again." Deceit bared his fangs, teasingly. They laughed, and Deceit went to sit next to Virgil, leaning onto the armrest that Virgil wasn't using. He stared up at the intricate ceiling, frustration starting to seep back into his expression. "What am I going to _do_, Virge?"

Virgil let out a heavy breath. "You'll figure something out, Dee. You always do, you slimy jerk." Virgil poked Deceit's side.

Deceit chuckled a little. Virgil was only two years younger than him, the prince from a neighboring kingdom. He was the closest thing Deceit had to a best friend. Deceit trusted him with his eyes closed. Deceit had only been able to say that about one other person, and that had been his mother, who had gone ages ago. Years ago, Deceit and Virgil had been something more than friends, but... well, after the way the relationship ended, Deceit had decided to stay far, _far_ away from love. Unfortunately, with his and Virgil's relationship ending for the reasons that it did, Deceit lost the opportunity to ever ally himself with Virgil's home kingdom.

"Have you eaten?" Virgil asked. "You're looking particularly frail."

"Excuse you!" Deceit gasped dramatically. He jabbed Virgil's cheek, who laughed. "I am _not_ looking frail. I could still wipe you out in a fight, Virge."

"Only because you're taller. And because of your stupid illusions."

Deceit sniffed, and pulled the corner of his lip up into a smirk. "All is fair in love and war, dear."

Virgil rolled his eyes, standing up and flicking Deceit's crown. "Yeah, yeah. Come on, you're coming with me to get you something to eat."

"Right now?" Deceit frowned. He hesitated. There was still so much to plan, so much to try to figure out. Iosheanium's threat was getting closer and closer to becoming a reality, and Deceit was no closer to a solution than he was months ago when he first received said threat. "I'll go later." Deceit decided. "I have a lot to do -- "

"Nuh-uh. You don't get to do that." Virgil reached out, wrapping his arm around Deceit's. "You are going to eat, Dee, and there's nothing you can do to get out of it."

Deceit raised an eyebrow. "Actually, there's plenty I could do."

Virgil wagged a finger at him. "But you're not gonna, right? I will zap you. You know I will."

"Very well." Deceit grumbled. "Nothing I say will convince you to leave me anyway."

As the two walked through the corridors of the castle, Deceit was silent, face schooled into an expressionless mask. On the inside though, Deceit was practically driving himself insane. He couldn't help the thoughts that came rushing back whenever there was just a tiny moment of silence. The effects of stress were starting to weigh on Deceit. His scales were losing the yellow-ish tint that they usually held. But if there was one thing Deceit was amazingly good at, it was lying and pretending. Deceiving. It was what had given him the name 'Deceit', after all.

Being so good at, well, deceiving made it easy for Deceit to keep acting as if nothing was wrong. Throw an illusion or a Lie into the equation, and Deceit was able to easily convince all those around him that everything was fine as well. Even Virgil. Which perhaps Deceit shouldn't be doing, since it was his Lies that brought the litany of problems down onto their relationship, which was already strained.

"Here we are. What do you wanna eat?" Virgil pushed Deceit into the dining hall, snapping his fingers for some servant to come and help. Deceit grunted as Virgil shoved him down into a chair rather roughly.

Deceit huffed. "I'd rather not eat. I'm not hungry."

A tall girl bounded up to them, and Virgil rattled off a list of foods. Deceit didn't pay attention, trusting Virgil to pick something that Deceit would enjoy, and instead pressed his fingers to his temple. He rubbed it slowly, closing his eyes. There was an insistent pressure building up in his head, and it was only making Deceit's situation worse. Virgil sat down next to Deceit, the chair making a loud screeching sound against the floor, making Deceit wince.

"You alright?" Virgil asked carefully, looking Deceit over.

Now, Deceit could lie. He could even add some magic into his voice, turn the lie into a Lie, something that Virgil would have no choice but to believe. But for some reason, Deceit blurted out, "No. I'm not alright. Virge, I don't think I'm going to be able to get out of this."

Virgil's eyes widened. "Hey," he said softly. "Don't think like that."

"I can't help it." Deceit waved off the girl that came and set a platter of food in front of him. He hesitated, biting his lower lip. Gathering his courage, Deceit cleared his throat. "I think I'm going to agree to Iosheanium's terms."

A flash blinded Deceit, and a sharp, cracking sound filled the room. It took Deceit a moment to realize that lightning had struck nearby, no doubt a result of Virgil's shock. "You're joking." Virgil looked enraged.

Deceit raised an eyebrow. "This is no time for jokes," he hissed. "I am dead serious." The room began to darken quickly as black clouds started to unfurl outside in the once-clear sky. Deceit gave Virgil a look. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring a storm onto my kingdom at this particular time, Virgil."

Virgil took a moment to control himself. The sky began to clear, and sun shined into the room once more. "Sorry," Virgil muttered through gritted teeth. "But you caught me off-guard. You can't possibly be seriously thinking about _agreeing_ to those stupid terms."

"Do you have a better idea?" Deceit shouted. "I've been trying to deal with this for _months_ now, Virgil! There is no other way!" He slammed his hand down onto the table.

A terse silence followed Deceit's outburst. He fought off the urge to leave the room, unable to stand being there with Virgil. Anger simmered underneath his skin. Resentment for Iosheanium's threat, for the fact that it was Deceit's own fault that he had not a single ally to help him. Bitter that Virgil had given up on them, even though Deceit knew it had all been his own fault, yet again. It seemed that the only person backing Deceit into corners was Deceit himself.

"What about allies? Virgil said quietly.

Deceit scoffed. "Do you seriously think me so stupid? I've already tried. There is no kingdom that will accept any offer like that of mine."

"Are you sure?" Virgil tilted his head. "Are you absolutely sure that there is not one kingdom that will accept?"

"What exactly are you trying to get at, Virgil? I'm not in the mood for riddles." Deceit said mildly.

Virgil's eyes flicked up skyward for a moment, pressing his lips into an irritated line. "Valliene," he said simply.

"My god," Deceit grumbled. He began to stand. "You're just wasting my time. I have other things -- "

"You're not listening to me, Dee. Like always." Virgil flicked his fingers at Deceit, and a tiny, weak lightning bolt ran up the king's arm. He jerked back, glaring at Virgil.

"Fine, I'm listening."

Virgil tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythmic pattern. "Think about it, Dee. Valliene is a powerful kingdom, right? Its army size is good, it has good money, their land is amazing. And what's even better is that they're so far away that there's no way that they've heard about the reputation you've built up for yourself."

A low hum sounded in Deceit's throat, thoughtful. Virgil had a point. Valliene was so far off from Amarnis, and so much bigger, that it would make sense if they would overlook Deceit's reputation. Valliene also was known for their trusting, gullible monarchs. Deceit could most definitely get them to trust him, and then cut them out of the kingdom and assume control. A grin unfolded on Deceit's face. "Virge, you're incredible."

"I try. What are you going to do?" Virgil inquired.

Deceit ran his tongue along his teeth, the plan starting to come together in his head. He could practically feel energy pour back into him at the hope of being able to pull Amarnis out of the grave it had dug itself. Deciding to not share his plan with Virgil for the moment, Deceit stood up. "I have to write to them at once. Excuse me," Deceit hurried out of the room, cape billowing behind him. How could he have not thought about it before? Valliene was the sweetest victim within Deceit's reach. A sinister smirk spread on Deceit's face. _This is going to be almost_ too _easy._


	2. Two-Faced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit meets the king and the queen, and it's clear that his work is cut out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW i'm so sorry this update is so late. school got busy these last few weeks, but i promise i haven't abandoned this.

Deceit played with the coin in his hand, rolling it through his fingers. He studied a map of Valliene for the fifth time that day, and by now, he had all the mountain range names memorized. The coin he held in his hand was the currency that was used in Valliene, which he had already also memorized the equivalency in Amarnis' currency. Deceit turned to the portraits of the king and queen of Valliene in his room. King Arsenio Villareal was portrayed as a man that looked sturdy, with a stoic expression on his face. The queen, Maricruz Hernandez, looked a bit gentler, although still imposing and intimidating. Deceit wondered how old the paintings were, and if the king and queen still looked like this. Unfortunately, Deceit hadn't been able to find paintings of the king and queen's sons. They only had two, who were twins. That didn't stop Deceit from memorizing their names though.

A knock sounded through the room, and Deceit turned to the door. He murmured, "Come in," and it opened. Virgil peered in, and he raised an eyebrow.

"What happened in here?"

The room was in complete disarray, which was something that was extremely uncommon. Deceit, believe it or not, liked everything to be organized. It was easier to keep track of what exactly he was doing at any given time. "Well, if I am to travel to Valliene in a month's time, I have to know the kingdom like my own," Deceit explained.

Virgil walked in, and now both of his eyebrows were raised. "You say that as if it's supposed to explain why your room looks like this. Have you let _any_ servant in to clean up in here?"

"If I let them in to clean, there's risk of them misplacing something." Deceit answered distractedly, focused on the book in his hands.

"So what's your plan, Dee?"

Deceit looked up, meeting Virgil's violet eyes. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to ally myself with Valliene. They've already accepted to letting me into their kingdom a month from now."

Virgil scoffed. "You don't fool me, Dee. I know you have some sort of ulterior motive."

An awkward silence ensued, and Deceit turned away from Virgil pointedly, returning to his book. Virgil leaned against the table that Deceit was seated at, and pressed his lips into a thin, irritated line.

"I want to go with you."

Deceit blinked. The pupil in his yellow eye narrowed to a thin black line. "Absolutely not." Deceit muttered.

"Why not?" Virgil countered. "I know you're going to try to do something stupid. At least let me come with you to protect you from the consequences that are bound to follow whatever it is that you're going to do."

The king stood up, brushing away the non-existent dirt on his dark clothes. "You are not coming with me, Virgil. I will not discuss this any longer." He didn't mention that he didn't want Virgil anywhere near Valliene because he feared that if he was caught in his plans, Virgil would have to pay the price along with him.

Virgil huffed. "Either you let me come with you on your trip to Valliene, or I will find a way to get there and who knows what would happen to me if I tried to go with the help of the wrong people."

Anger coursed through Deceit, and he let out a tremendous sigh. "Fine!" Deceit hissed, face contorted into a snarl. "Do what you want! Not like you'll listen to me if I forbid you from going." Virgil smiled triumphantly, looking pleased with himself.

"Oh, don't look so mad about it, Dee. I know you feel better knowing I'm going with you." Virgil reached up, rearranging his hair under the silver circlet placed atop his head. As if on cue, the black in Deceit's eyes expanded to an almost perfectly round circle. Virgil noticed as Deceit ducked his head, hand coming up to cover it casually in embarrassment. Thankfully, Virgil didn't comment on it.

"If you come with me, you know you may get punished if my true plan is revealed." Deceit murmured. A heavy beat of silence ensued, and it stretched for what seemed an eternity.

Virgil, ever so softly, sighed. "I'm aware." He said nothing else, and Deceit remained silent as well.

* * *

A month passed in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, Deceit watched as some servants piled his things into a carriage. His face was stoic, betraying absolutely no emotion. Virgil was at his side, dressed in something that was fancier than what he usually wore. They stood rather far away, as Deceit didn't want to spook the horses. Ever since he was a little boy, animals didn't really enjoy his presence. Except for snakes, of course.

As they waited, Deceit noticed a rather large, brown spider crawl up Virgil's leg. Deceit took a step away from him as he recognized it. "There's no way you're taking _that_ into the carriage with us, Virgil Ravenswood."

Virgil frowned. "Dee, you're well acquainted with Cora at this point. Must you really still be afraid of her?"

Deceit made an offended sound. "Look at the size of it!" He gesticulated to the arachnid. "It is the size of your _hand_, Virgil!"

Virgil rolled his eyes. He lifted his cloak, and the spider crawled under it. It disappeared into the folds. "You won't even notice her in there, I promise."

Had they had more time, Deceit would've definitely started arguing and forced Virgil to leave Cora behind, but it just so happened that a servant came up to Deceit and Virgil then. "The carriage is ready for you, Your Majesty."

Deceit cleared his throat, nodding at the man to dismiss him. He approached the carriage, and climbed aboard it, Virgil following closely behind. Virgil sat across from him, and kicked his feet up onto Deceit's lap. Deceit gave him an unimpressed look as a servant shut the door, locking it. "We have a long trip ahead of us, and I'm already dreading being with you." The king sniped.

"It's too late to throw me out, I'm afraid." Virgil replied smugly.

\---

Although the trip was tedious and Deceit constantly regretted bringing Virgil along, they arrived fairly quickly. It had only been a three day trip, and considering how far Valliene was from Amarnis, it had not taken them very long at all. As they entered Valliene, Deceit peered out the window. It was a beautiful kingdom, and Deceit could definitely see the appeal of allying himself with Valliene. The kingdom looked exceptionally rich, to be able to afford the lavish style of architecture Deceit was currently seeing.

"Well?" Virgil sent him an inquisitive look.

"Well what?" Deceit replied, scowling.

Virgil gestured to the window. "Is it what you were expecting?

Deceit feigned nonchalance, returning to his view out the window. "It'll do," he murmured. But Valliene _surpassed_ Deceit's expectations. He had heard of the wondrous empire of Valliene, but thought it just to be common folk lies and rumors. Based on Virgil's chuckle, he knew just how impressed Deceit was.

They continued through the many roads, and Deceit pulled the curtain over the window when people started to stop and watch the carriage pass. Virgil noticed, and did the same, although he did give Deceit a curious look. Deceit shrugged, not wanting to explain that he didn't want any of the townspeople getting a good look at his face in case Deceit needed to run if his plan went wrong.

Finally, they arrived to the castle's entrance. The drawbridge lowered, and Deceit took note of where the men were cranking the lever. They entered the castle's courtyard, and the carriage stopped in front of the castle staircase and doors. Deceit reached up and rearranged his crown. He passed his tongue over his fangs, a nervous habit he had had since he was a child. He had never been able to break out of it.

The carriage doors swung open, and Deceit stepped out. Two people stood at the castle doors, a man and a woman. Deceit watched them as he helped Virgil out of the carriage, and then they both approached them. Deceit had studied the painting in Amarnis enough to recognize the man as King Arsenio and the woman as Queen Maricruz. Deceit informed Virgil who these people were, making sure to be very quiet in doing so.

King Arsenio definitely looked much older than he had in the painting. However, he still looked like a strong, sturdy man; if Deceit would ever have to fight him, he wouldn't stand a chance physically. Queen Maricruz had fairer skin than King Arsenio, with long brown hair. She looked more or less the same, and Deceit wondered if magic had anything to do with that.

"King Deceit," Queen Maricruz spoke first. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." It was a bit surprising for Deceit to not recognize a lie in that. The queen was being honest.

There was a slight accent to her English, leading Deceit to believe it wasn't her first language. Seeing as Valliene's native language was Spanish, it made sense. Deceit felt almost stupid for not thinking about that before. "The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty." Deceit bowed to her, and then to the king next to her. King Arsenio did the same, at the same time that the queen curtsied. "Valliene is a beautiful kingdom. I'm glad I was given the honor to come see it." Deceit motioned to Virgil beside him. "This is Prince Virgil. It was a bit of a last-minute idea to have him come with me, so my apologies that I didn't write ahead to inform you he would be accompanying me."

Virgil bowed, and the monarchs of Valliene returned the gesture.

King Arsenio studied Deceit. "Tell me something, King Deceit. How is it that you were given such a strange name? I've never heard of somebody being given a name like yours." By the way that King Arsenio said this, Deceit had a feeling that his answer mattered very much.

Deceit smiled at King Arsenio. "It is not my birth name," he admitted. "It is simply what most kingdoms know me as. I see no reason why I can't use it myself."

The king's eyes narrowed. "I see," he grunted. "And why is that you were came to be known as 'Deceit'?"

A silence settled around them for a few seconds, as Deceit considered what to say. "It is a name that I've been called since I was a child. I suppose it stuck." Deceit said, and offered no further explanation. Deceit knew that the king did not trust him one bit, based on the unimpressed look he was being given, but he had a plan to change that.

"I must say, 'Deceit' isn't a very... _favorable_ nickname, King Deceit." Queen Maricruz commented, not unkindly.

Deceit chuckled. "I agree. People can be so cruel, don't you think? I mean, calling a child 'Deceit'?"

Queen Maricruz shook her head, looking sympathetic for him. She took her husband's arm in hers, leading him inside while beckoning for Deceit and Virgil to follow. "You'll have to excuse my sons. They're... _out_ for the day, and weren't back by the time they said they would be."

"Out for the day?" Deceit tilted his head.

King Arsenio spoke up, interrupting Queen Maricruz just as she was about to talk. "Yes. They're very busy princes." He answered tightly, and ending the conversation.

A woman stood waiting for them at the entrance, and Queen Maricruz motioned to her. "This is Bellona. She'll show you to your room. Unfortunately, we didn't know you'd be bringing company with you, King Deceit." The queen turned to Virgil. "We'll try to have your room ready by tomorrow, Prince Virgil." With that, the queen curtsied and the king bowed, and they left Deceit and Virgil with Bellona.

Bellona showed them to their room, and turned to Deceit. "If either of you need anything, please let me know. I'm more than happy to accommodate you. Your belongings will be brought to you soon." Bellona curtsied, and left them.

Virgil took off running into the room. "Dibs on the bed!" He called over his shoulder. A muffled thud led Deceit to believe he had gone to jump onto the bed.

Deceit studied the room. It had various rooms within it; there was a main room, with several seats and a wall composed entirely of a bookcase and other forms to entertain yourself in the corner. There was a bathroom, and then the actual bedroom where Virgil currently was. Deceit noticed the several windows in the bedroom, and inspected them. He poked his head out of each, ignoring Virgil who was watching him curiously. As Deceit looked out of the last window, he noticed the ledge below it and the vines of some plant creeping up the wall to the side of it. Just a little below were the branches of what looked like a sturdy tree. _Interesting_, Deceit thought, and tucked away these bits of information.

"What are you doing?" Virgil asked.

"Nothing," Deceit said smoothly. "What did you think of the king and queen?"

Virgil plucked his crown off, setting it down on the bed next to himself. "The queen seems super nice. The king doesn't seem to really like us though."

"Hmm, yes, I noticed that. No matter, I'll get him to like me soon enough." Deceit muttered.

"I have no doubt that you will." Virgil didn't hear a reply from Deceit, and Virgil lifted his head to look at him. "Dee, you're going to make this work." He said softly.

Deceit sighed, loudly. "I hope you're right, Virge. I hope you're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated!!


	3. Meeting the Princes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit's going to be honest, he hadn't imagined this when he thought of the Villarreal twins.

"Please stop fidgeting. You're making me nervous." Virgil snapped.

Deceit gawked. "I am _not_ fidgeting. I do not fidget. I am calm. And collected."

Except Deceit _was_ fidgeting; how could he not be? Just two hours after he and Virgil settled in, Queen Maricruz asked for them to join her and the rest of the Royal family for supper. Deceit had honestly expected to be given the day to rest, as it was the polite thing to do. However, Virgil informed him that culture in Valliene was very different from the western kingdoms, where Amarnis was located. Valliene was a kingdom that valued fellowship. Deceit and Virgil were guests, and it was imperative that the Royal Family spent time with them constantly.

So now, here they were, on their way to the dining hall. Not only was Deceit gonna have to spend more time with King Arsenio - which already made him uneasy - but supposedly the princes would be joining them. Considering that Deceit had absolutely no idea what they looked like, and didn’t have much information on them other than their names, he was pretty uneasy about that too. (Which is truly shocking. You’d think the two sons of powerful monarchs would be described in detail and portrayed in a plethora of paintings.)

Virgil reached out, stopping Deceit in his tracks, and placed his hands on Deceit's shoulders. He looked up into Deceit's mismatched eyes, staring into them as intensely as he could. "Listen to me, Dee. I believe in you. If you let King Arsenio intimidate you, he won't ever respect you enough to consider your offer."

Deceit took a deep breath, and nodded. He tried to calm down, but whenever his thoughts got going, not even Virgil could stop them from heading down a dark path. "Yes, you're right." They were now standing in front of the doors that led to the dining hall. A servant was there, looking at them inquisitively. (Another thing different from the kingdoms set in the West. Servants here were allowed to look nobility in the eyes.)

Upon Deceit's small nod, the servant opened the door and bowed as they passed. King Arsenio and Queen Maricruz were already seated. The dining hall table was small, by Amarnis' standards. There were only maybe 14 or 16 seats at the table. King Arsenio sat at the head of the table, and Queen Maricruz sat diagonally from him, on his right side.

"Oh, King Deceit, you're here! I had begun to wonder if you were going to be joining us at all." The queen smiled warmly at Deceit, and it made Deceit relax a little.

"Yes, my apologies for my delay. We had a little trouble finding our way to the dining hall." Deceit replied.

King Arsenio gave Deceit an unimpressed look. Deceit chose to ignore him, more worried about where he was supposed to sit. Would sitting next to the king without his permission be considered rude? Would sitting next to the _queen_ without her permission be considered rude?!

"Please, sit." Queen Maricruz motioned to the seat in front of her, which was also set diagonally from the king. Deceit let out a little sigh of relief. Virgil sat down next to him. "I'd like to know more about you, King Deceit. You as well, Prince Virgil."

Virgil startled, surprised to be included in the conversation. After all, he was just a prince. Sitting here, with three people who outranked him, he expected to be ignored the whole time. "Oh, well... My name is Virgil Ravenswood. I come from Einond." A few servants came out and placed a bowl of weird soup in front of Deceit and Virgil. They shared a look of masked confusion.

"The Midnight Realm!" Queen Maricruz's eyes glittered. "Oh, I've always been so fascinated with Einond. You're the only person I know who's ever set foot there."

"Yes, well, Einond is not a very... welcoming place. It is rare to meet someone who has been there, as native Einond people rarely leave." Virgil murmured. "Although you are the first person I meet that has a positive opinion of Einond."

"My son, Remus, has always wanted to go. However, we hadn't met anybody from there, and it's common knowledge that only native Einond people know how to navigate the kingdom," Queen Maricruz said. She turned to Deceit. "What about you, King Deceit?"

Deceit looked up from the bowl of soup in front of him. He had been studying the white balls in them, trying to figure out what exactly they were. "Well, I'm from Amarnis, as you most likely already know."

"The Golden Empire," King Arsenio mused. It was the first time he had spoken, it occurred to Deceit. "Known for their almost infinite supply of gold."

Deceit offered the king a tight smile. No matter where he went, Amarnis' supply of gold is what always interested people most. He hated talking about it, because he just knew these wretched, greedy little bastards wished to profit off of said supply. "Yes, well, it's not the only thing we are known for."

King Arsenio set his dark eyes on Deceit. "I've heard that you have people who can make gold out of anything in Amarnis. That's why you haven't run out of gold to export yet."

"Please, King Arsenio. It's simply rumors. Of course we don't have people like that."

"How would you explain a supply of gold that has been keeping Amarnis so wealthy since it was first recorded in history, then?"

The queen cleared her throat. "Arsenio," she warned.

Deceit's eye started to narrow steadily. "Our land has a big enough supply, I suppose. I don't know how it does, I've never been that interested in how it is that our mines are so large." He felt Virgil kick him lightly under the table.

"You don't know or you don't want to say?" King Arsenio challenged, jaw tense.

"What I don't know is why you are so interested in finding out about how Amarnis has so much gold. Are you interested in importing, Your Majesty?" Deceit's voice began to turn into a hiss.

"I am simply curious." _Lie._ The lie washed over Deceit like a pot of boiling water. "You're here interested in becoming our ally, are you not? Amarnis' wealth is certainly something I have to analyze." King Arsenio began to raise his voice.

"Arsenio, that is enough." Queen Maricruz tried to say, but her husband ignored her.

Deceit scowled. "That is something you are welcome to analyze after we talk about other details first."

"Why? Are you hiding something, King Deceit?" King Arsenio sneered. "You certainly have a lot of secrets."

Deceit's hand curled into a fist, and he would've swung at the king right then and there, had the doors not burst open. Everyone turned to look, and two men tumbled in, laughing. One wore a black outfit with accents of green, while the other wore white with accents of red. They looked the same, except one had a mustache and a grey streak in his hair. A third man followed, looking rather flushed. This one was short and had blond hair. He wore clothes that looked much less fine than the twins, which led Deceit to believe he was not nobility. They slowed upon noticing everyone's eyes on them.

"_¿Qué? ¿Por qué se ven tan enojados?_" The green one said. His eyes flicked over to Deceit and Virgil, and he raised an eyebrow, as if noticing them for the first time. He switched to English. "What's going on?"

"Remus, Roman." Queen Maricruz looked relieved. "Look how late it is. We were expecting you back hours ago."

The blond man quickly reached up to the red one's hair, fixing one last strand. The red one smiled down at him, and the blond turned and left.

"Apologies, _Ma_." The red one said, leaning down to kiss Queen Maricruz on the cheek. "Remus decided it'd be a good idea to goad the _toros_ in town, and we had to round them all up again after we had to run from them."

Deceit looked over to the one wearing black and green. _So this is Remus Villarreal. Which means..._ Deceit turned to the one wearing white and red. _...this one is Roman Villarreal._ Deceit wasn't very impressed. He was expecting something else, honestly. He did, though, find it interesting that neither Remus nor Roman had a strong accent. The only time he could sense the faintest of accents was on their Rs.

After the twins both kissed their mother on the cheek and hugged their father, they sat down. Prince Remus sat next to the queen, and Prince Roman sat next to Prince Remus. "_¿Y estos, quienes son?_" Prince Remus looked Deceit and Virgil over, a clear look of distaste on his face. He slung an arm over the back of his chair, leaning back. His posture was terrible. Deceit instantly decided he liked him.

"Remus, you know the rules. English around our non-Spanish-speaking guests." Queen Maricruz scolded him. "This is King Deceit, and this is Prince Virgil. King Deceit, Prince Virgil, these are my sons. This is Remus, and that is Roman."

Prince Roman offered Deceit a kind smile. "Welcome to Valliene. Apologies for our absence today, we would've been back for your arrival had this little fool not meddled with the bulls."

Prince Remus shrugged. "I didn't really care to meet you two, so I figured it would've been a good way to avoid having to talk to you for most of today."

"_Remus_," Queen Maricruz admonished.

Deceit chuckled. "It's alright, Your Majesty. I appreciate the honesty." So far, Prince Remus had not said even a single little lie. It was refreshing after having to deal with the constant lies from King Arsenio.

Prince Remus inspected Virgil. "So what's your deal? Why are you two here?"

"They want an alliance." King Arsenio answered, sounding amused.

Prince Roman stilled, while Prince Remus perked up in shock. "An alliance?" They said at the same time.

"It's nothing like that, boys. Don't worry. King Deceit comes from a different culture." Queen Maricruz hurried to explain. The twins relaxed, looking quite grateful. She turned to Deceit. "They thought you were here for a marriage alliance. In the kingdoms here towards the East, that is how we usually seal alliances."

"Ah," Deceit said, nodding in understanding. He noted how worried Remus had looked at the prospect of being married off. How interesting.

Prince Roman continued slowly eating his soup (which Deceit still hadn't figured out what it was exactly), while Prince Remus scarfed it down quickly. "So, are we going to accept?"

"That remains to be seen, _mijo_." King Arsenio murmured, giving Deceit a look. Deceit clenched his teeth together, nicking himself inside his mouth with his fangs. He turned to share an exasperated look with Virgil, only to see the prince staring at his soup intently. Deceit raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was thinking so hard about. Casually, Deceit nudged him underneath the table with his foot. Virgil straightened, blinking at Deceit.

At Deceit's curious squint, he flushed and looked away quickly. _Oh, he's _definitely _got something on his mind._ Deceit frowned, wondering what exactly it could be.

"...King Deceit?"

Deceit's head snapped towards the queen, who had just asked him a question. While Deceit was not listening. "Uhh...."

Prince Remus snorted. "She asked what do you think of the _pozole_."

"The poh-zoh-leh?" What the hell was that? Deceit glanced down at what was on the table, his eyes landing on the flat, yellow, circular pieces of food on the table. "Yes, the _pozole!_ Uh, very good. Although rather dry."

The statement was met with confused stares. "The _pozole?_" Queen Maricruz frowned. "Dry?"

"Er... yes."

"Can soup even be dry?" Prince Remus whispered to Prince Roman, rather loudly.

"I don't think so. I guess we can ask Logan later." Prince Roman muttered back.

Deceit felt the skin on half of his face flush. They were talking about the _soup_. Virgil coughed into his fist, trying to hide a laugh. "N-No, I didn't mean that. _I didn't say that, I said that the _pozole _was very good and flavorful._" Deceit said forcefully. Virgil noticed his yellow eye glow, and he rolled his eyes.

"Really? Must you Lie to them?" He said, rather accusatory.

The Royal Family's eyes glazed over as the memory was altered. Deceit shushed Virgil quickly. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes, especially in front of King Arsenio. Finally, the family came to, and they smiled.

"We're glad you like it," Prince Roman said. Ugh, Deceit decided he didn't like him. He was rather annoying. Too peppy and cheerful.

Deceit smiled back. "Yes, I've never had anything quite like it. But, I feel very tired. It's been a long day. Would you mind if Virgil and I returned to our room?"

"Oh, not at all! We shall see you again tomorrow. We have much to talk about in these next few days, King Deceit." Queen Maricruz waved them off.

Deceit stood up, and Virgil stood with him. They both bowed as Deceit thanked the queen, and said their goodbyes. As they left the dining hall, it occurred to Deceit that he had never once caught Prince Roman or Prince Remus staring at the scales on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally, i managed to update. sorry that my updates take so long, school has really been kicking my butt lately. i swear i'll try to update more from now on. kudos and comments are appreciated, see y'all next time. <3


	4. Sunny Side Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deceit misjudges a situation, and assumes the wrong thing. Virgil is completely taken by the blond boy who he knows absolutely nothing about. Also, it's clear that there's a world of differences between Roman and Remus.

A warm breeze swirled through the room, playing with Deceit's hair. He was reading one of the books that had been in the main room, but wasn't paying much attention to the plot. Instead, Deceit was thinking about the royal family. He was also occasionally glancing at Virgil, who was playing with little wisps of storm clouds. There was definitely something up with Virgil, but Deceit didn't know how to ask. With Virgil, you had to be careful. He was easy to set off sometimes. The last thing Deceit wanted was a lightning bolt striking down on him.

"I can sense you staring at me, you know," Virgil said. He dropped his hand, and the storm cloud wisps disappeared. He leaned back into his seat, looking at Deceit.

The book in Deceit's hands snapped shut, and Deceit cleared his throat. "I'm just worried about you. You seem... different."

"Different how?" Virgil raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Well, there's nothing _to_ figure out. I'm fine, Dee."

Deceit bit his lower lip, deep in thought. "In fact, you've been weird ever since the princes arrived at dinner yesterday." Based on how Virgil stiffened, Deceit grinned, knowing he was right. "So there _is_ something different."

A furious blush settled on Virgil's cheeks, whose violet eyes were darkening to a deep shade of purple. "No there isn't," he said through gritted teeth. "It doesn't concern you, Deceit."

"Virge, please. Are we not old friends? We were even something more, a long time ago. You can trust me."

Virgil turned away, and the clouds outside seemed to start changing to a suspicious shade of grey. Deceit sighed. The last thing they needed was Virgil bringing a thunderstorm to Valliene. Deceit doubted that the kingdom's architecture would be able to take it.

"Please don't summon a storm, Virgil. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just thought that maybe you'd feel better if you told me what was wrong." Deceit flipped his book open again, and resumed his reading. A silence settled over them for a few moments, until Virgil turned back to Deceit.

"What did you think of the princes?" He asked.

Deceit raised an eyebrow. Could this question have to do with what was bothering Virgil? He _had_ been pretty chatty with Prince Roman. Did Virgil _feel_ something for Prince Roman? The thought of that made an ugly feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. The last thing he needed was to watch Virgil move on. Although that had probably already happened a long time ago.

"Hello? Dee? I asked you something."

"Hmm? Oh. Yes, they're alright, I suppose."

Virgil frowned. "Just alright? C'mon, that can't be all you think."

Deceit met Virgil's eyes. "I think that Prince Roman is annoying and rather naive. He is too cheerful and loud. He seems rather stiff. And so... _kind_. It is irritating. Prince Remus is much better, in my opinion. I like him." Deceit hadn't thought all of that of Prince Roman before, but now that Virgil was perhaps interested in the prince, Deceit thought that and worse. Deceit hesitated, before looking down at his book to feign nonchalance. "What about you? What do you think?"

"Well," Virgil began, "Prince Remus is kind of scary. There's this odd... gleam in his eyes. He looks a little demented. Prince Roman is _really_ nice. It's so easy to talk to him. Last night, we were talking at dinner while you were talking to the queen and Prince Remus. He has such fun stories."

The ugly feeling in Deceit's gut intensified. His fingers dug into his book. "Yes. It seems like we have very differing opinions of the twins." He said coldly. Virgil remained oblivious to Deceit's demeanor, eyes still glazed over and gaze still far away. _Probably fantasizing about that ridiculous prince._ Deceit breathed in hard through his nose, in a passive aggressive sort of way. He stood up suddenly, earning a confused look from Virgil. "I'll be right back," Deceit muttered tightly. He left the room without another word.

\+ + +

Virgil watched Deceit leave the room, cape billowing behind him. "What's gotten into him now?" He said under his breath, startling when the door slammed closed. However, his concerns for Deceit quickly dissipated when the thought of that blond boy came back. Virgil couldn't help it. He had never seen somebody so breathtakingly beautiful. Virgil wished he knew his name, knew something more about that blond. Anything.

In a desperate attempt to learn more, Virgil had started talking to Prince Roman last night. Based on how they had interacted when they came in, with the blond boy freely touching the prince, Virgil guessed the blond was some kind of personal servant. Or maybe a friend? What if they were _lovers?_ The mere thought of that made Virgil scrunch his face into a pained look.

He had to know more about him. At least a name, or maybe even where to find him. Virgil stood up, racing out the room. Perhaps he could start by finding Prince Roman. He'd even be willing to seek out Prince Remus if needed, even if Prince Remus freaked him out a little. Seriously, were those dark purple circles around his eyes eye shadow of some sort or did the prince just never sleep?

Even though Virgil was willing to brave the brash prince, he was fairly certain he'd find the blond with Prince Roman. Just based off of how they interacted... well, it was clear that the blond boy was comfortable with Prince Roman. Which, again, made Virgil grimace. "Okay, Virgil, find the prince first, _then_ worry about whether the blond is available or not."

\+ + +

Deceit was _fuming_. His teeth were clenched, and he was muttering all types of things about Prince Roman furiously under his breath. "What does Virgil even see in him?" Deceit snarled. "He is ridiculous and loud and obnoxious." Deceit's boots slammed against the floor, creating loud echoes. He jerked back as he felt his cape snag on something, and he whirled around. Not thinking twice about it, he yanked harshly, too pissed to think calmly. A ripping sound filled the air, and Deceit froze.

"Oh, _lovely!_" Deceit groaned, seeing his ripped cape. He waved his hand over it, creating an illusion for it to seem untouched to anyone who glanced upon it. To his eyes though, the cape remained split. Deceit let it drop back behind his frame, and continued down the hall, this time being much less destructive. He tried to ignore the tears of frustration brimming in his eyes, refusing to cry; he had already spilled too many tears over Virgil. He refused to spill more. It was now that Deceit noticed his surroundings. He was in some kind of hall that led outside. The sun shined in brightly, and it seemed there was some kind of garden at the end of the hall.

Deceit peered at it, walking towards it cautiously. He stepped out, and realized he was in some kind of conservatory greenhouse. It was huge; Deceit could barely see the far end from where he was. The plants inside were a vibrant green, with splotches of pretty colors everywhere from all the flowers. The sun shined in, illuminating the whole room. A sudden tranquility overcame Deceit, and he walked farther into the conservatory. He turned slowly as he walked, taking in his surroundings. Two little birds flew past Deceit, chirping good-naturedly.

A little smile spread over Deceit's face, and he sat down on a nearby bench. Here, he could think in peace. It didn't seem like there was anyone else in the conservatory, which made Deceit feel much better about finally letting a few tears slip out of his eyes. He granted himself five minutes where the tears flowed freely, but bit down on his lip harshly to avoid making any sort of sobbing sounds.

Deceit and Virgil had ended things two years ago, but Deceit hadn't been able to move on yet. Maybe it had to do with the fact that they never distanced themselves after ending their relationship. Even when Deceit's heart was torn in pieces, he had smiled through it and remained close friends with Virgil. He didn't want to lose the prince; Virgil was the _only_ constant in his life. Virgil knew everything about Deceit. It was easy with him. But even though Deceit had been happiest with Virgil, he could also admit that the relationship had been terrible. Sure, when they had their happy moments, Deceit felt like he had never reached this level of euphoria. But the happy moments were far and few, and the bitter moments outweighed the happy ones.

Still, even though Deceit _knew_ just how bad he and Virgil were for each other, his heart remained stubborn on Virgil. It hurt, and Deceit wanted nothing more than to just move on. Virgil had clearly done so. Why couldn't he do it too?

Suddenly, laughter filled the air. Deceit jerked up, hands flying up to dry his face. He looked around, trying to pinpoint where the laughter came from, but realized he was hidden by the tree branches around him. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that nobody had seen him crying, but frowned as he recognized one of the voices. He was instantly able to pinpoint it, and he hissed quietly. _Prince Roman._

Deceit crept forward, peeking between the leaves of the ferns, and looked around. Eventually, he was able to find the source of the ruckus currently going on in the conservatory. It was Prince Roman and that blond boy that he had seen last night coming in with the prince at dinner. The blond boy was sitting on the edge of a stone fountain, his feet swinging back and forth, and Prince Roman was telling him something excitedly.

"...think it's adorable." Prince Roman said in a teasing tone. "You only saw him for a few moments, and look at you! Already smitten."

The blond blushed, hiding his face in his hands and giggling into them. "I am not smitten, Ro! I just told you he was cute. You're blowing this way out of proportion."

Rolling his eyes, Deceit settled in to be more comfortable. He figured they'd eventually talk about something important that Deceit could later use as blackmail. They obviously couldn't see him from where he was, so he didn't bother to conjure an illusion so they wouldn't see him. He didn't feel like wasting any energy.

"Patton, look at that smile on your face. You totally are smitten. You wish for the big, strong prince to come and _sweep_ you off your feet!" Prince Roman grabbed onto the blond's - who Deceit assumed was named Patton - hands and tugged him down off of the ledge he was perched on. They laughed as Prince Roman twirled Patton around, before Patton pulled his hands loose.

"Leave me alone, you hopelessly romantic fool." Patton managed to say between his chuckles.

A stick snapped somewhere behind Deceit, and he stiffened, hand falling to the place where his sword rested usually. It unfortunately was not there, as Deceit had forgotten to grab it when he left his room in his haste to get away from Virgil. Deceit turned around, meeting the eyes of Prince Remus. A dagger was pointed at his neck, and Deceit's eyes widened.

Prince Remus sneered. "Hello there, your Majesty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew, this chapter took me a while to finish. we're finally finished with setting the fic up, so i promise that the good stuff starts next chapter! we'll finally have deceit interact with remus and roman, and also some virgil and patton interaction. until next time, darlings <3


	5. Caught Yellow-Handed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so maybe Prince Roman isn't a completely spineless idiot; still, Deceit likes Remus better. Virgil is finally able to meet with the blond boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: remus acts like his violent nasty lil self. there's a few graphic descriptions of violence, but only here and there.

"This isn't what it looks like," Deceit said, hands held up to show Prince Remus he meant no harm.

Prince Remus' lips were curled into an angry snarl. "It looks like you're spying on my brother, so believe me, there is no good excuse for this." The prince pressed his dagger closer, and Deceit jerked back, hissing.

"L-Let me explain, please. I was simply going out for a walk. I just _happened_ to come across your brother and his little friend."

Prince Remus chuckled. "Of course. So you stare at him from a distance away in the bushes like some creep?" The prince's face straightened back into an unimpressed expression, flipping his dagger. "I don't think so. Tell me, would you prefer to be strangled until your pretty eyes pop out or stabbed until your intestines have fallen out and are strewn all over the floor?"

The threat seemed quite serious, and Deceit began to feel something that resembled panic. "I swear! I swear it on my life. _I was not spying on Prince Roman_." Deceit poured magic into his statement, and the expression in Prince Remus' face changed to a blank one for a few seconds. He blinked, and stepped back.

"Fine. I believe you." Prince Remus slipped his dagger into his shirt. "Let me escort you back to your room." Deceit was about to decline, but the prince reached for his arm and tugged him up. This surprised Deceit, as the prince was at least an inch shorter than him. He clearly wasn't lacking in strength.

"Very well." Deceit accepted, albeit begrudgingly. He turned to glance over his shoulder, where Prince Roman and Patton had been. The spot was empty.

The prince noticed him looking back and shoved Deceit's shoulder. "Move it, snake-face. Whatever weird obsession you have with my brother ends now, you hear me?"

So Prince Remus was protective of Prince Roman. That was useful to know. Deceit would be much more careful in the future; he didn't want Prince Remus' dagger embedded in his gut. And clearly, Prince Remus did not care for status, based on how he was treating Deceit as if he was just another person from his rank or lower. Deceit walked out of the conservatory, Prince Remus right behind him, and they fell into a semi-slow pace. Deceit sensed the prince's eyes on him, so he turned and met his stare. "What?"

"What's the deal with your name?" The prince inquired. "Deceit is a pretty stupid name, honestly. Your parents couldn't have possibly named you that."

"Of course they didn't name me that."

"Well then what's the history behind the name _'Deceit'_?"

Deceit gave the prince a look. "Listen, Prince Remus, I don't -- "

"Remus."

Deceit paused. "Hmm?"

"Just Remus. I'm not one for using titles."

"Very well. As I was saying, Remus, I don't think it's any of your business, but if you must know, I was given the nickname Deceit since a young age. I was treated meanly for the scales on my face, and for my magic of deception. It was used so much that it stuck, and now grown adults use it simply because of a few deceitful things I did in my first years of being king."

Remus grinned. "'A few deceitful things', huh? That sounds like you did a lot of lying and deceiving to me. So why doesn't anybody know your name? What _is_ your name?"

Silence settled between them, Deceit twisting his lips in displeasure and keeping quiet. There were things Deceit wasn't willing to share, especially with a man he just met yesterday. However, Deceit didn't think it was possible for Remus to stay quiet, who started muttering to himself various things. He only caught a word here and there, but it sounded like nonsensical babbling. There was clearly something something different about Remus. Deceit wasn't sure that he was completely sane.

Finally, they arrived to Deceit's room -- rooms would be the better word, he supposed. His chambers were too massive to be considered just one. "Well, thank you for following me back here, Remus."

"Mmm," Remus hummed noncommittally, waving him away. "Whatever interest you have with my brother, Deceit... if it harms him, I will kill you and make sure that it's slow and painful."

Deceit stared with wide eyes, completely surprised by the direction the conversation went in, and Remus' blunt threat. "I'm not interested in your brother." Deceit finally said.

"Don't bother with explaining, I don't care. Fine, you weren't spying on him today, I believe you." Remus leaned in, narrowing his eyes. "It's simply a warning." There was a beat of tense silence, before Remus perked up and smiled. "By the way, you're invited to eat with me tomorrow morning. You and Tall, Dark, and Handsome. I trust I will see you there?"

Deceit opened his mouth, about to answer, but Remus turned on his heel and went back the way they came from. Well, looks like Deceit didn't have much say in whether he and Virgil would be going or not. He entered his rooms and closed the door behind him. Deceit remained silent, not bothering to check if Virgil was in the rooms or not, too immersed in his thoughts. Remus was definitely different from any other person he had met before. He was boisterous and nosy and disrespectful, but he was honest and transparent. Everything that Deceit was not.

Regardless, Deceit felt like he and Remus were similar in many ways. He certainly got along better with Remus than with Prince Roman.

Just thinking about the prince made Deceit's face sour into one of irritation. And to make matters worse, Remus thought that Deceit was _interested_ in Roman. "As if," Deceit muttered under his breath. The door opened, and somebody came walking in, footsteps slow. Deceit assumed it was Virgil, as only he would walk in without knocking -- besides Remus.

Sure enough, Virgil appeared in Deceit's line of sight, looking dejected. Deceit raised an eyebrow. "What's got you in a sour mood now?"

Virgil shook his head. "Nothing. I just... it doesn't matter."

Deceit wasn't in the mood to press, so he let go of the matter with a shrug. "Remus says we are invited to eat with him in the morning."

"Uh, there's no way in hell I'm going to eat with Prince Remus." Virgil said. "Since when are you calling him _'Remus'_?"

Ignoring the second question, Deceit pinned Virgil with a look. "We're going to go. This is a great time to convince Remus to be on my side, for when the time comes to talk about the alliance."

Virgil groaned. "Do I not even get a choice?"

"No. We are going, and that is that."

* * *

The next morning, Deceit and Virgil were making their way through the halls, led by a servant who had come to fetch them moments before. It seemed that they would not be eating in the dining hall, as the boy was taking them through halls Deceit hadn't been through before. Virgil lagged behind, clearly irked about having to be in Remus' presence for the next hour. "Keep up, Virgil," Deceit hissed at him, not wanting to be late.

Virgil rolled his eyes, but picked up the pace slightly. Deceit returned his attention to his surroundings, quietly in awe about how beautiful the Valliene castle was. It was almost as grand as Amarnis' castle, but this structure was more open. There were grand windows to allow sunlight to stream in, and the white and gold colors of the castle made it seem so much more illuminated. There were also several exotic birds wandering about, which made Deceit wonder which person from the royal family had an obsession with them.

"Do you have an aviary?" Deceit asked the servant. 

The boy looked Deceit in the eyes, again surprising him with how different the culture here was from Amarnis. "Yes, Your Majesty, we do. It is on the other side of the castle, but the birds are allowed to walked around freely. That is why you see so many of them here." His English was good, even if his accent was thick. This also was a surprise to Deceit, as he didn't think servants would be taught several languages.

"Why aren't they kept enclosed in the aviary?"

"Queen Maricruz likes for them to be free. They are not pets, they are more like companions. We also believe that birds are distant cousins to the dragons."

Deceit's eyebrows flicked up, falling silent. He had heard of Valliene's dragons before, of course. It was well-known that while Valliene was beautiful, it was dangerous. There was a system of caves to the north of the kingdom that was said to house hundreds of dragons, but Deceit had thought they were simply rumors.

Finally, the boy slowed and bowed, motioning for them to exit out into the garden. Deceit frowned, confused as to why they were being led outside, but walked out anyway. It was a beautiful garden, with tall trees and vibrant green grass and the most colorful flowers Deceit had ever seen. There was also an extravagant stone fountain, a ways away, and beyond that, a hedge maze. There were paths throughout the garden, and several stone decorations littered throughout. To Deceit's right, there was a large gazebo, where some people were sitting.

As Deceit neared the group, he recognized Remus, who waved at him excitedly. He waved back - although with a lot less energy - and made it to the gazebo when he realized that Prince Roman and his little friend from before were there as well. Deceit stiffened, but that was the only outward reaction he dared to show. Virgil, on the other hand....

Deceit scowled, noticing how Virgil perked up and was suddenly smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles in his clothes. He made no comment, only went to sit next to Remus while Virgil sat between him and Prince Roman.

"And here I was thinking you wouldn't show," Remus half-grinned, picking at a weird, hard sugary flat piece of what seemed like bread.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Prince Roman said to Deceit, then turned to Virgil and, with a lot more friendliness, giggled out a "Hello, Virgil."

_Oh, Gods, help me...._ Deceit's fingers rapped against the table, loudly. Since when were Virgil and Roman referring to each other by first name alone? To distract himself, Deceit turned to Remus, staring at the food in his hand. "What is that?" He asked moodily.

Remus paid no attention to the tone of his voice. "It's a _buñuelo_. Try it."

"No, thank y -- " Remus shoved a bit into Deceit's mouth, and Deceit struggled to not choke. It was very sweet, and very flaky and fragile, but... good. "I like it." Deceit told him once he had swallowed.

"Good, right?" Remus chuckled.

Deceit nodded, gaze wondering over to Virgil. He and Prince Roman were deep in conversation, while Prince Roman's friend smiled as he listened. Deceit tilted his head. He hadn't met any other princes on his stay here, so clearly the man wasn't royalty. "Who is he?" Deceit asked Remus quietly.

Remus looked up from his food. "Hmm? Oh. He's Patton Avington. He's one of Roman's servants, but they're very close friends. He's like... Roman's only other friend aside from this one man in the library."

Deceit scoffed. "You let servants sit with royalty in this kingdom? I will never get used to your customs. Shouldn't he be sitting elsewhere?"

"Excuse me."

Deceit looked away from Remus to the voice that was calling his attention. Prince Roman was glaring at him, while Patton was tugging at his sleeve with a worried look on his face. Deceit raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" He sneered.

"I'd appreciate it if you showed respect to Patton. Just because you wear a crown on your head does not mean you owe him any less respect." Prince Roman said tightly, unimpressed look on his face. Although Deceit would never admit it, it was a bit intimidating. The prince was even shorter than Remus, and Remus was already quite short compared to Deceit. How could a man this tiny be intimidating him?

Prince Roman pushed away from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "If you'll excuse me, it seems I lost my appetite." Patton stood up with the prince, eyes wide and alarmed. He followed the prince, who stomped away. Virgil turned to give Deceit a _'Seriously?'_ look, and Remus kicked Deceit's shin under the table.

Deceit hissed at Remus, pupil narrowing. He turned, eyes lingering on Prince Roman's retreating form thoughtfully. _Interesting._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI IM STILL ALIVE!! sorry this took so long, school got hectic for a while. logan is coming in the next chapter, which i promise i'll attempt to publish within the next week. i'd like to get back to a semi-normal updating schedule.


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